I come here mostly everyday, but once every week for sure. I work in the area and Im a regular, and I've tried mostly everything lol and they're all yummy! My favorite is the ham & cheddar hot sand which ;) they do phone orders as well. Convenient and fun spot read more

Came here with a Groupon. Good service and the food was ok nothing superb but it wasn't bad either. We enjoyed the nice quiet backyard atmosphere. The server was very kind. The prices are a bit steep but luckily we had the Groupon. The best part of my experience is the licorice selection inside. I'm from holland and they have many selections from Holland so I was very excited to see this. I'll definitely be back for the licorice. I'd say they need to add some flavor to their foods or something because they are competing with a lot of very good restaurants in the Old Town area. read more

It is a lovely store. I was looking for more San Diego specialties and saw many things from afar. Well, I guess so since the history of San Diego is a merchant base for the trade of cow hides at $2.00 a piece for all things afar! read more

After looking around in this store we sat down on their front porch and looked online to find a place to eat. Well, after some research this place popped up. It didn't make sense...they serve food here?! Well, they do and it's delicious! They have a paper menu by the register that is somewhat hidden. We got the hot dog, grilled cheese, cornbeef sandwich, and sausage. All were awesome. Great hidden gem. read more

The James Mc Coy Corned beef sandwich with potatoes and deli mustard is great! The staff is really attentive and friendly too. The back area tables are a good place to have some breakfast on a mild San Diego day. There's also some interesting merch for sale in the store. And if you're lucky, the owner might send some free hot chocolate samples your way too! read more

Im new to the area and i am glad i ran into this shop while exploring old town. They have a variety of delicious options. I had the pleasure to meet Ms. Mata who gladly helped me pick what i wanted and answered all my questions. Anybody can have a great store with great merchandise but it takes a good store to have such helpful and friendly staff, that is what keeps the customer coming back :) will be back soon for more candy and more enjoyable talks! read more

This is THE place in San Diego for proper licorice! They've got it all- Dutch, Finnish, Aussie, Brit. Sweet, salty, earth, anise-y, chewy, soft, stiff, and salmiak. Many of these are hard to find in the US (and oh, so good!). Plus, they are one of the rare shops in Old Town that actually feel old-timey. They don't break the spell with cheesy synthetic costumes or modern plastic-wrapped crap. They have good, quality, tasty wares that fit into their time- and the best drinking chocolate you've ever had! read more

Rust is such an awesome local bistro in Old Town! Their menu is extraordinary - from teas, to fine chocolates, to snacks and Bavarian sausages (cooked to order on a delicious pretzel roll!) and SO much more! There's always something new and different featured from their bistro team every time I go thru the State Park, I love it! Plus, their private patio is a great place for a small private event with great shade during the day and cozy lanterns for the evening. You'd never even think it was there, but it's such a nice place tucked out of the hustle and bustle of the tourists! I have to say, their events team was amazing at setting up and supporting a small bridal shower my Matron of Honor set up for me - they provided tasty finger foods and desserts for everyone who arrived. And, (as always) Toni and Jonathan made everyone feel welcome, and even took the time to pose for photos in their period attire (who doesn't love that 'stache, ;) ) I highly recommend Rust to all my Old Town friends, and bring all the family from out of town to enjoy the food and fun old-timey treats they stock their shelves with! It's the best! Can't rave about Rust loudly enough! read more

This place it super authentic! We went in for some coffee and walked out with a history lesson from the lovely and incredibly knowledgeable Miss Johnson. We asked for a photo of her amazing old fashioned outfit. She obliged us with a wealth of knowledge and even had us pose in old fashion, no smiles!!! The coffee was strong and good, and they had a large selection of old fashioned sodas, pressed sandwiches, salads, and an assortment of delicious pastries!!! They also have an extensive black licorice bar where you can learn about the history of black licorice. Surprising fascinating!!! Thank you Miss Johnson for the great experience!!!! read more

Rust General Store - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Super cool general store located in the heart of Old Town. Awesome selection of spices and other cooking items as well as old school candies. You definitely get the authentic feel of the old days walking in here. read more

You wouldn't know it by just walking in, but there is a restaurant here in this General Store. Came here for lunch today and had a fabulous experience. We ate outside in the back patio and had soup, sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies and a soft pretzel with mustard. Everything was fantastic! The service was great too. After lunch, we shopped in the General Store part of Rust and enjoyed perusing through all the nice novelties they offered. I bought some ghost pepper beef jerky, soup mix and a mini corn on the cob that you put in the microwave to make popcorn off the cob itself. The staff is super friendly and the food was great. I'm looking forward to coming back already. read more

Excellent sausage. Bread was unbelievable . The place has a real authentic old timey feel to it and is one of my go to places when I'm craving some sausage on bread. Stop in when your in old town San Diego. Get your grub and a soda pop an relax in the shade in the grass. read more

Why is this amazing lunch place in the middle of touristy Old Town? The menu is fantastic, the food is gourmet, exquisite, and underpriced. The tomato chutney is not to be missed and I need a jar of it at home. The service is also excellent. I dream of this place teaming up with a good local craft brewery and moving to South Park or some other eclectic neighborhood, but in the meantime, I'll just have to come early before the parking lot fills up. read more

Love this place great quality food if I could afford it, I would eat here every day l. I love to just look around they have some really neat things in this store. read more

This is a neat little store. It's almost like going back in time. The employees were dressed the part with costumes of that era. They have candies in individual jars along the wall. They also sell food inside the store and other nick-knacks. They also have old fashioned bottles of root beer and sodas that you can purchase cold. I was able to find some ginger candy. I finished what was left in the jar, so it seems to be a popular item. read more

Just got a Rose lemonade for my son. Thank goodness he didnt drink some sadly my husband did. It had a huge ball of mold in it wtf nasty. read more

Rust General Store - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

the first time we went they were closed eventhough they were supposed to be open. we came for one thing which was their bavarian pretzels. was it the big thick pretzels with a dense outlayer and soft chewey inside that i thought i of, no. but for san diego its a damn good pretzel. read more

Rust General Store - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Nice sausage options, licorice, and sodas in Old Town. A bit pricey but the sausages are flavorful, the service is good and the general store old-school candy options are really good. Especially if you like licorice. read more

Loved the coffee and hot chocolate. Picked up a couple of delicious jams from amongst the many delights this place has to offer. Alana was very helpful and will serve your cookie at just the right temperature! read more

Stopped by for an early dinner to find delicious food and great service. Lovely outdoor seating behind the store which is a throwback to the general stores of old. They take great care with the food as everything was fresh and perfectly prepared. Great for kids and as an alternative to Mexican fare. read more

We were tired of Mexican food so we came by here. 3.5 star if yelp had it. I would give them 4 if they put more meat in the sandwiches- pretty skimpy one layer for the price! According to the guys behind the register the grilled cheese was supposed to be really good but after we put our order in the kitchen, they said they were out. So instead we got 2 warm turkey pesto Brie and Pruccuitto ( I think it was supposed to have the ham but I don't recall it being in the sandwich- I'm pretty sure we picked one with ham for our visiting Thai friend to try out) and a cold salami sandwich. We saw the sandwich choices on the black board behind the register but they didn't seem to have the full menu of warm sandwiches that's on the website, unless We missed that somewhere else. The turkey Brie pesto sandwiches were delicious but I wished they had put more turkey and the prosciutto in for the price - the pesto was fresh bright green at least we asked for it on the side - There was one thin slice of turkey folded to look like more! Cold Salami mozzarella Italian was meh ok but also lacking in meat. One layer of salami. The tomato + ice berg lettuce greens were at least fresh. The sandwiches don't come with anything - except ours came with a hard gummy like yellow and black fish shaped candy that must have been a throwback to some old style flavor which we all didn't care for. All in all -pretty decent, great for tourist trap food but because they were skimpy on the meat I gave them 3 stars. Great, enthusiastic, friendly and patient customer service though from the 2 guys behind the register- patiently answered our questions about drinks and food!! read more

Great sandwiches! Very nice employees. We sat outside, enjoyed our early lunch people watching outside the restaurant. We also orders cookies. The peanut butter is the best! read more

This place is very cool. My wife and I also ate there and the food is great, even though I had some reservations because of the small kitchen and touristy area. Nice quality, fresh ingredients and a fantastic house signature homemade mustard. Wife had a great fresh looking salad and I had a wonderful double dog hot dog in pretzel bun. Lemonades are very good as well. Friendly customer service and staff works hard when it's busy like when I was there. read more

What a perfect addition to Old Town! Like most of the reviews say, lots of unique and throw back items in this store. It is pricey though so be sure to check Yelp for check in offers. They sell unique infused salts by the ounce. There were so many that I was overwhelmed so I will be back when I have more time and the store not so busy. The Prickly Pear Lemonade is a must. If you need a unique gift for any occasion, this is the place. I bought a few of the pre bottled salts for gifts. I recommend using cash as they do charge $0.35 to use your cc. This is not posted anywhere so that kind of annoyed me. Plus they seem to be the only merchant in Old Town who charges this fee. Based on the prices of their goods, this cost should already be built in. read more

This little store is super cute. I love hot it still has that old vintage store feeling to it. The sanwhiches from here are really good too. They sell root beer too!! read more

Great selection of root beers & drinks! Stopped in after a trip to sea world. We ordered a pretzel and root beer (used a yelp check-in deal) both were very good. Fun place to stop and walk around. read more

Really liked this place. Fun selection of candies and chocolates. We had lunch before the treats. Decent selection of sandwiches and nice lots of sodas to choose from. Sandwiches were all pretty good, pretzel was nothing special. Little pricey but it's Old town SD. Couple tables out front but there's more seating in the back. Try it for lunch instead of waiting at one of the sit down restaurants. We would definitely go back. read more

This place was cool. Made me feel like I was back in time at an old general store with all the candy in glass jars. What was really good was the little sandwich shop they have in the corner. Had a great pretzel and grilled cheese sandwich. Serves was good too. read more

Fabulous spot in Old Town! We visited on a few different occasions. Customer service was fantastic (the lady at the front was super helpful with suggesting teas and mixes to try). Presentation was lovely (breakfast sandwiches were served with an arrangement of apple slices, blackberries, yogurt, and jam - a nice touch!), food was very good and filling, and the coffee and teas were strong and high-quality. Will be back! read more

Great find in Old Town. Sandwiches and service are great! Cute area in back to enjoy your food.

Best sandwiches in San Diego! They also have a plethora of candies and pastries! I love going there for finding unique gifts.

Cute store customer service at the coffee bar was horrible. Very rude. Spent $24 in drinks and they acted like we did them a favor.

Our shop (Apple Box Toys) just moved in to Old Town, and Rust has been our go to shop for great sandwiches! & of course great service from all who work there! So awesome to have great neighbors! read more

Rust General Store - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Husband got their grilled cheese sandwich, and peach tea ice drink. Enjoyed it. Only grip was they hadn't erased the chalk board showing today's special was tri-trip, but was sold out when we asked. read more

The food at this place is incredible! The baked goods are super fresh, the sausages are fantastic, and the store has a truly authentic 1850 feel to it. The staff is friendly and courteous. I live in San Diego, but love to come to Old Town to relax. It never ceases to amaze me that I constantly find new things to do and see...and Rust is always a wonderful treat! read more

Ok so I've been on this hunt for a particular french raspberry bonbon candy for Christmas stocking stuffers (ones I used to get in my stocking every year as a kid) for what seems forever and haven't been able to find them anywhere. Then by chance as I was walking through the Historic Park in Old Town, after touring some of the museums I come into Rust General store situated inside one of the older homes in the park (so its small with various rooms) and am immediately hit with the wafting smell of yummy confectioners, candies and snacks. I couldn't believe what great candies were for sell here. They had the store set up like an old pharmacy or saloon from the 1800's. They had barrels of sasparilla (and cinnamon and other flavors) hard candies for $3, so I grabbed a bag. They also had chips and lollis and rock candy and coffees and preserves and soaps and other goodies. As I was walking around the store I found a few other great treats, old sticks (various flavors), and sweets you just don't find anywhere except maybe at Knotts Berry Farm or something. But what I was happy to see was 4 varieties of those french bonbons. I didn't see the raspberry but they had a tropical one, strawberry and a couple other flavors I didn't see before. I figured, ok, strawberry will have to do in a pinch...its close enough....I take my items to purchase up to the counter and the sales girl was so sweet and friendly and professional. I asked if they might have the raspberry and sure enough THEY DID - YAY! I bought the strawberry one anyway, just for extra. What a great little shop with great service and tons of great little treats spread throughout. I'm so glad I found my raspberry bonbon store! read more

Oh my goodness, my husband and I were pleasantly surprised to find that this place is now serving awesome lunch items, such as huge sausage sandwiches on pretzel buns and delicious pressed sandwiches. Everything was so delicious and it was fun sitting outside on their little porch. We also got a delicious lemon cookie and prickly pear lemonade. We will DEFINITELY be regulars here! read more

Loved our Bavarian sausage! The store is fabulous, so many wonderful treats to behold there. The staff courteous and wonderfully attired in period clothing. They put a lot into their presentation and it is evident they take pride in what they do. Stop in for coffee, treats, sausage, candy, old fashioned beverages. read more

My experience with one of the store owners was not a good one. I purchased some of their Sea Salts only to get home and find that the salt had fused together as one unusable brick in the container. I called the store and the employee I spoke with said she could not do anything about it but would leave a message for the owners, that was on Friday. By Tuesday, I had not heard back so I called again. I spoke with one of the owners, Antionette, explained my problem and her response was that there were no refunds or exchanges. I told her I did not think it was fair to not make an allowance for something that was completely unusable. We went back and forth for several minutes during which time she acknowledged that that she was aware of the problem with this product as I was describing it. Finally she asked what I thought the resolution should be. I told her that I thought especially since She ALREADY KNEW that this was a problem and that she continued to sell the product anyway without making the consumer aware, that she should replace it. She very reluctantly gave in and told me I could pick up the product and I explained that I lived about 100 miles away, she said I would have to pay for shipping while complaining about how much it would cost her (really? probably about $5) and how small her margins already were. I told her never mind, it was not worth my time. This business obviously does not make any effort to provide great customer service. read more

Wow what a surprise! Doesn't look like much from the outside. They just have a subtle menu on a barrel. It's mostly just dogs and sandwiches. But this is a great example of do a few things and do them extremely well. The store itself sells all sorts of stuff. But the fresh sandwiches, dogs, and pretzels are what set this place apart. We got 5 different dishes; a roast beef & manche go, madame fishers (caprese with bacon pretty much), Turkey & ham & brie, chili dog, and a pork sausage. Everyone just passed each one around and went wow that's good. The bread and pretzel buns were fresh, soft, and great. The sauces were all really tasting and came on the side so you could put ad much or as little as you liked. The sandwiches were fresh and filling. And you can pair everything with a craft soda. And the prices were very reasonable. It's a hidden gem I'm glad we found, as we'll be coming back here a lot. read more